The Fatal Child (2008)
“It was less than a year old. Its coat was a beautiful, shining slate grey, its legs long and delicate, its eyes soft and fearful as it stared at the crowd of courtiers surrounding the Queen. The Queen’s pet lynx roused itself inquisitively from its cushion.
Immediately the kid skittered away to the far end of its leash, splaying its legs and pulling in vain against its collar and the strength of the butler’s arm.
‘His Majesty begs you will consider it,’ said the butler. ‘He asks me to say that ...he hopes it will remind you of kindness and of good things when the day wearies you.’ ‘I do not understand,’ said the Queen, so that all her courtiers could hear. ‘Does His Majesty think that I am his goatherd?’ ‘No, Your Majesty!’ said the butler earnestly. ‘He means it as a thing of beauty for you, a living jewel chosen from a thousand of its like!’ ‘A jewel?’ said the Queen in cold surprise. ‘But it is a goat!’ The crowd of courtiers tittered. The Queen turned her head away so that the man might not speak with her again.MoreLess
Immediately the kid skittered away to the far end of its leash, splaying its legs and pulling in vain against its collar and the strength of the butler’s arm.
‘His Majesty begs you will consider it,’ said the butler. ‘He asks me to say that ...he hopes it will remind you of kindness and of good things when the day wearies you.’ ‘I do not understand,’ said the Queen, so that all her courtiers could hear. ‘Does His Majesty think that I am his goatherd?’ ‘No, Your Majesty!’ said the butler earnestly. ‘He means it as a thing of beauty for you, a living jewel chosen from a thousand of its like!’ ‘A jewel?’ said the Queen in cold surprise. ‘But it is a goat!’ The crowd of courtiers tittered. The Queen turned her head away so that the man might not speak with her again.MoreLess
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